Source: Wikipedia user Infrogmation
New Orleans, NOLA, The Crescent City, The Big Easy—whatever you want to call it, one thing is for sure: This is one helluva place. Tourists may know this city as a place to go for Mardis Gras, perhaps the spot for Cajun food, or even a good place for some jazz—but beads, Boudin, and brass aside, New Orleans is not just a wonderful place to visit; it’s also one of the finest cities in which to live.
If you happen to disagree, it may just be that you’ve been spending time in the wrong NOLA neighborhood, because as studies show, your neighborhood within a city can change your view entirely. Which studies? Well, this one for starters.
In this study, we have taken one very subjective subject—which New Orleans neighborhoods are the best—and used empirical data to settle the score once and for all. Without further ado, Movoto Real Estate presents our winner: The French Quarter. Here is the complete list of the top 10 neighborhoods in NOLA:
1. French Quarter
2. Marginy
3. Uptown
4. Bywater
5. Lower Garden District
6. Irish Channel
7. Mid-City
8. Freret
9. Central Business District
10. Central City
Why is the French Quarter at the top of the list? And what makes Marginy just marginally better than Uptown? Read on to find out how we came up with this order and just what makes each of these N’awlins neighborhoods so nice.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
How We Did It
Before we take you on a virtual tour of some of the finest spots by the Bayou, let’s take a look at how we got our rankings. Like any of our other Big Deal Lists, we needed some measurable information to determine which New Orleans neighborhoods were the best. We settled on the following criteria:
- Restaurants per capita
- Coffee shops per capita
- Bars per capita
- Total Amenities
- Desirability (we asked New Orleans real estate agents what was the most desirable neighborhood for young adults 20 to 35 years old)
- WalkScore
- Percent of population who are married
We started with a list of 71 New Orleans neighborhoods and gave each neighborhood a rank from one to 50 in each criterion, based on the data, with one being the best possible score. As far as amenities go, we settled on restaurants, coffee shops, and bars per capita because we realize it’s important for everyone to have a lot of choices. We then added these up to get the total amenities score per neighborhood.
To get each neighborhood’s desirability score, we asked New Orleans real estate agents which areas were the most desirable for young adults, 20-35 years old. To gauge each area’s walkability, we used WalkScore.com. Finally, we ranked those neighborhoods with a lower percent of married people higher, because what fun is going out and meeting a bunch of married folks?
After we rated each neighborhood, we averaged the criteria together and gave each city an overall score. The lower this number was, the higher the area ranked.
1. French Quarter
For New Orleans residents and visitors alike, it may not come as much of a surprise that the French Quarter tops our list. Those lucky enough to live here have known this is the best neighborhood for years—and now, the numbers are there to back it up. Just what do those numbers tell us?
First of all, the French Quarter has more amenities than it knows what to do with. With over 270 restaurants, 147 bars, and 23 coffee shops, this neighborhood came in at the top for total number of amenities. Of course quantity doesn’t mean quality—but here, it has both. It has Café Du Monde for beignet’s sake. If you’re craving something a little less sweet, head to Sylvain for lunch. If you’re craving something downright sinful, just head to Bourbon Street. To skip the hullabaloo, try local favorite, the Old Absinthe House.
How will you get from place to place? You will walk, of course. The French Quarter also came in among the best in terms of walkability.
2. The Marigny
Also known as Faubourg Marigny—or, as some residents like to call it, just plain awesome—the Marigny neighborhood comes in as a close second, mostly due to its low percent of old fuddy duddies—I mean, married people. Just 17 percent of Marignians are married and with 29 bars to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities to bump into Mr. or Ms. Right.
Marigny has all the charm of the historic French Quarter, but with a fraction of the noise. The bar scene here is a bit more laid back. The Friendly Bar and Iggy’s, for example, are just two laid back watering holes in Marigny. Running low on energy? Simply walk over to Who Dat Coffee Café for a cup of joe and a pastry. It’s no wonder agents ranked Marigny amongst the most desirable neighborhoods in the city.
3. Uptown
In addition to the beautiful historical homes which define Uptown, this neighborhood has a wealth of amenities and is even quite walkable. Uptown—along with two more neighborhoods coming up on our list—tied in terms of desirability, according to area agents, and when you take a closer look, it’s no wonder why.
Residents in this swanky part of town can brunch at Milk Bar, lunch at Dat Dog, and schmooze with the likes of Harry Connick Jr., Lil Wayne, and Peyton Manning at Clancy’s Restaurant. Once the sun sets, locals head to Cure, one of the top-rated cocktail joints in the city.
4. Bywater
Just next to Marigny lies Bywater, though perhaps a more accurate name would be “Buyliquor,” for the number of bars this neighborhood has to offer. Fourteen bars for a population of just over 3,300 means plenty of options to pick your poison. Bywater also scored well in its number of coffee shops—five—for those who want something a little less strong.
To get your caffeine and sugar fix, head to Shake Sugary on Saint Claude Ave. These guys are only open on the weekend, but they have some of the most beautiful, elaborate, and delicious cakes and pastries in town. Pair that with their dollar coffee and you have an addiction waiting to happen.
5. Lower Garden District
No. 5 on our list, the Lower Garden District, scored well in amenities overall, but in particular its number of coffee shops and restaurants, with 11 and 57 respectively. Now that’s a lot to choose from, so allow us to help you out a bit. As far as coffee goes, Corner Muse is a cute and quaint little shop, selling not only coffee, but local art and jewelry as well. When you get hungry, you can stick around Corner Muse, or spice things up a bit with some Caribbean food from Maya’s.
And with just 29 percent of the population married here, there are plenty of singles to mingle with while you’re out.
6. Irish Channel
Just west of the Lower Garden District is No. 6 on our list, the Irish Channel neighborhood. Dotted with an eclectic mix of working class 19th century architecture, shotgun houses, and more modern buildings, the Irish Channel is certainly unique. It’s also one of the most desirable areas in New Orleans, according to agents, tying with Marigny, Uptown, and Freret.
What makes it so hot right now? Well, for one, the number of restaurants—there are 50 of them, after all. There are also quite a lot of singles here, with a married population of just 29 percent.
7. Mid-City
Mid-City—more like aMenities City, am I right? But seriously, Mid-City comes in at No. 7 on our list, mostly due to its total number of amenities. This historical district is bustling with restaurants, coffee shops, bars, shops, galleries, things, and whatnots, largely because the famous— and always buzzing—Canal Street runs right through this neighborhood.
The great thing about the bars, restaurants, and shops in Mid-City in particular, is that they are mostly haunted by locals; this is not your typical New Orleans tourist area. Finn McCool’s Irish Pub, for example, is a favorite spot to watch the Saints and Angelo Brocato Ice Cream & Confectionery is a great place to gorge yourself with sweets.
8. Freret
Freret comes in at No. 8 on our list, but according to local agents, it ties for No. 1 with Marigny, Uptown, and the Irish Channel in terms of desirability right now. It also has a good number of restaurants and singles, with a married population of just 30 percent. While we can’t exactly point you to the best singles, we can point you to some of the best restaurants in the area.
Start with something healthy, say Freret St. Poboy and Donut Shop, and then mosey on down the historic street to the High Hat Café for some gumbo, tamales, catfish, or pimento cheese. The chef describes the place as “bayou meets Delta.” Now I’m not sure what that means, but the food sounds good.
9. Central Business District
The Central Business District comes in at No. 9 on our list, and No. 1 in terms of walkability, restaurants, and coffee shops per capita. It came in second for the total number of amenities in the area, which makes sense, as the Central Business District is essentially New Orleans’ downtown.
The streets are lined with skyscrapers, specialty stores, thousands of residents’ homes—mostly restored historic commercial and industrial buildings—and so many places to drink, eat, and caffeinate it’s no wonder this neighborhood is trendy. For a night out, head to Bon Ton Café where cocktail attire meets Cajun food. Probably best to leave your crawfish bib at home.
10. Central City
Coming in at No. 10 on our list is Central City. It makes the top 10 mostly because of its total number of amenities, high single population (just 25 percent married), and a WalkScore of 77.
In addition to the famous Leidenheimer Bakery, Central City is home to much culture—the MLK statue and memorial, for example, is just near Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd; and the Ashe Cultural Center and various art galleries also line the streets in this neck of the woods.
So Much for Being Easy
You might be called The Big Easy, New Orleans, but coming up with a top 10 for your fabulous neighborhoods was no stroll down Canal Street. You’re a vibrant city, rich with culture, history, and all that jazz—and competition for best neighborhoods was fierce. But when all was said and done, it looks like the French Quarter really is the best neighborhood in NOLA. Félicitations, Vieux Carré!
(click to enlarge)
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